Lighting standard



June 20, 1967 H. c. PFAFF, JR 3,325,950

LIGHTING STANDARD Filed Sept. 5, 1964 INVENTOR. H. C. PFAFEJR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,325,950 LIGHTING STANDARD Henry C. Pfatf, Jr., Summit, N.J., assignor to Pfatf and Kendall, Newark, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 394,289 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-28) This invention relates to a lighting standard whose structure can be used for supporting trafiic lights or other objects. Heretofore separate installation of trafiic light and street light posts was required.

It is the general object of this invention to overcome the foregoing and other difficulties and objections encountered in prior art practices, by the provision of a lighting standard which may be converted to a heavy duty traffic light post easily, quickly and at a minimum cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of a post inside a standard post for strength, reinforcement and durability-particularly adapting the standard for conversion from light duty needs to heavy duty needs in an efficient and durable manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means adapting a lighting standard for interchanging of parts thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide conversion means for readily converting a lighting standard to a trafiic light post.

The aforesaid and other objects of the invention, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by the novel arrangement of inner post within an outer post for reinforcement of the outer post, pursuant to the invention, to allow heavy loading as from a traffic light arm, and a narrower extension on the outer post for easy installation and removal of objects.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a broken side view of a post embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view thereof showing a trafiic light arrangement,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional fragmentary view of the street light arrangement taken along line 33 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view of the base taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

With reference to the example or form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 5 generally indicates an outer post having a base 7 consisting of a plate 13 and a shoe member 14, secured preferably by fixing means 18 which may consist of threaded leg 15 and a nut member 16. Outer post 5 has at its upper extremity a narrower extension 8. The numeral 6 generally indicates an inner post fitting inside of and reinforcing outer post 5. The numeral 9 generally indicates a street light arm fitting over and around the narrower extension of the outer post. The numeral 10 generally indicates a bearing collar fitting between the narrower extension of the outer post and the street light arm. The numeral 11 indicates an arm generally used to hold a trafiic signal at its extremity. The numeral 12 indicates fixing members for holding the street light arm in position on the outer post. The numeral 17 indicates a removable cap for the outer post'and the numeral 19 indicates a lighting fixture.

In the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, reinforcing inner post 6, preferably almost as long as the outer post 5, is provided adjacent to and inside of said outer post. The outer post 5 has a narrower extension 8 (which may be the same post, an added piece, or a separate piece) over which street light arm 9, supporting lighting fixture 19 is placed (FIG. l) and secured thereto 'by fixing members 12. Bearing collar 10 has a tapered shape, said taper being complementary to the taper on narrower post extension 8; said bearing collar is interposed between the outer post and the street light arm 9. Street light arm 9 rests atop said bearing collar, and narrower extension of outer post 5 supports same. Base 7 is shown cut away in FIG. 4. Preferably inner post 6 extends into a recess formed in plate 13 and is afiixed (preferably welded) to the plate, generally at the bottom of same. The bottom of the outer post 5 is welded or otherwise secured to the plate and surrounds inner post 6. Shoe member 14 surrounds both the inner and outer posts at lower extremities thereof. Shoe base 14 holds outer post 5 and inner post 6 in fixed position in the recess formed therein. Fixing or anchoring means 18, consisting preferably of threaded leg 15 and nut member 16 engaging shoe base 14 (FIG. 4), interengages shoe member 14 and plate 13. Inner post 6 acts as a reinforcement for the outer post 5, as does base 7 by means of plate 13 and shoe member 14.

In another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 2, reinforcing inner post 6 is adjacent to and inside of outer post 5, removable cap 17 is in the place provided for it atop the narrower extension 8 of the outer post, and arm 11 is fixed to the outer post 5 and normally bears a traflic light at its extremity. The posts are fixed by any standard procedure in position to base 7 (shown in FIG. 1).

The street light fits over and around the narrower post segment and is removable therefrom, thus permitting a traffic light arm to be installed on a post which can also be used to maintain a street light in position. The invention enables rapid interchange between the two types of posts while maintaining sturdy support for both types of posts by providing an inner post and base reinforcement for the structure.

While, in accordance with the patent statutes, best known embodiments have been illustrated and described herein in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, or thereby, the inventive scope being defined in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A lighting standard for mounting on a surface comprising a tubular outer post, said outer post having a narrower segment portion formed at the top thereof, a tubular inner post fitting into and in contact with the entire inner surface of said outer post except for said narrower segment portion, the bottom of said inner post extending below the bottom of said outer post, a plate, said plate being provided with an opening for accepting the bottom of said inner post, said bottom of said inner post being fixed to said plate in the region of said opening, a shoe member on said plate, said shoe member being provided with a bore for accepting the bottom portions of both of said posts, said outer post being fixed to said shoe member in the region of said bore, and means for simultaneously anchoring said plate to the surface and fixing said shoe member to said plate.

2. In a lighting standard as defined in claim 1, a trafiic light arm arrangement attached to said outer post.

3. In a lighting standard as defined in claim 1, closure means on said narrower segment portion of the outer post.

4. In a lighting standard as defined in claim 3, said closure means being removably inserted on said narrower segment portion of said outer post.

5. In a lighting standard as defined in claim 1, a street light arm fitting over and against said narrower segment portion, a bearing collar positioned such that said street light arm rests on said bearing collar and said narrower extension of said outer post supports said bearing collar.

6. In a lighting standard as defined in claim 5, said street light arm and said narrower extension of said outer post having locking means to secure them together.

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(References on following page) 3 4 References Cited 3,031,041 4/1962 Pfaff 52-726 X AndfiI'SOH 6t 1,291,823 1/1919 Fuller 52 40 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,600,032 9/1926 Barrick et a1 52-726 X 5 693,708 3/1964 Canada. 1,600,066 9/1926 'Rastetter 52-298 2,728,848 12/1955 Farrington et a1. 24084 X FRANK L ABBOTT, Primary Examiner- 2932904' 4/1960 Zurchfir 240-84 X R. s. VERMUT, Assistant Examiner.

2,970,289 1/1961 Loomis 340-119 X 

1. A LIGHTING STANDARD FOR MOUNTING ON A SURFACE COMPRISING A TUBULAR OUTER POST, SAID OUTER POST HAVING A NARROWER SEGMENT PORTION FORMED AT THE TOP THEREOF, A TUBULAR INNER POST FITTING INTO AND IN CONTACT WITH THE ENTIRE INNER SURFACE OF SAID OUTER POST EXCEPT FOR SAID NARROWER SEGMENT PORTION, THE BOTTOM OF SAID INNER POST EXTENDING BELOW THE BOTTOM OF SAID OUTER POST, A PLATE, SAID PLATE BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING FOR ACCEPTING THE BOTTOM OF SAID INNER POST, SAID BOTTOM OF SAID INNER POST BEING FIXED TO SAID PLATE IN THE REGION OF SAID OPENING, A SHOE MEMBER ON SAID PLATE, SAID SHOE MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A BORE FOR ACCEPTING THE BOTTOM PORTIONS OF BOTH OF SAID POSTS, SAID OUTER POST BEING FIXED TO SAID SHOE MEMBER IN THE REGION OF SAID BORE, AND MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY ANCHORING SAID PLATE TO THE SURFACE AND FIXING SAID SHOE MEMBER TO SAID PLATE. 